Category Archives: Events

About this time, the tags for book trees (a lit up tree made from books) or Jolabokaflod, the Icelandic book flood, come fast and furious. As they should because they’re traditions just like building a gingerbread house is for my family and making pierogies on Christmas Eve.

As for book traditions, there is one that I’ve done for years. On the last day of school, I take our boys to the indie bookstore and let them buy whatever they want– they’re reasonable and bookish, so it all works out. It’s a way to celebrate another school year gone by and usher in summer reading outside.

I have a tradition for the end of one year and the beginning of another. It’s simple but ‘a thing’. By December I’ve usually picked my last book of the year and the first book I’ll read in the new year– usually to end and begin on a high note– selecting a type of book that I traditionally enjoy or have heard all good things about.

And while I don’t have one for the winter itself as a family, I might try to build a tradition in the vein of Jolabokaflod though it’s complicated by the fact that we are at family’s on Christmas Eve. But it can be whatever we make it. I think I’ll take some recommendations over the next month and see what we come up with.

Any suggestions?

Last year a teacher approached us to collaborate on a new school activity- an Open Mic Night where kids could come stand in front of an audience in a coffee shop-like atmosphere and perform. I said absolutely, sign me up. It was another opportunity for students to participate in an activity that celebrates creativity and uses our beautiful new library as the backdrop.

Because the teacher is a performer himself, he led the charge to sign students up and emceed the night, which included fantastically goofy segues. I would set the scene with snacks and hot drinks, atmospheric decorations like glowing tea lights, and advertise the heck out of it.

Last year we hosted several and we’re on track to do three this year. Wednesday night was the first and as is with last year’s, I am awed by their capacity to perform. This session included all singing and a few instruments, but we have seen spoken word and poetry. One student performed an original song and a duet spun the fast-moving Hamilton track, “The Schuyler Sisters” to finish out the night and blow our minds. Whether they were doing karaoke or embodying Elvis, it’s all just words… words in different ways and whether we’re reading words on a page as a book or listening to a song, it’s worth thinking about all of the innovative ways words can be arranged and affect us.